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Idaho death row inmate nearing execution wants a new clemency hearing. The last one ended in a tie – Local News 8

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Idaho death row inmate nearing execution wants a new clemency hearing. The last one ended in a tie – Local News 8


BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho man scheduled to be executed at the end of the month is asking a federal court to put his lethal injection on hold and order a new clemency hearing after the previous one resulted in a tie vote.

Thomas Eugene Creech is Idaho’s longest-serving death row inmate. He was already serving time after being convicted of killing two people in Valley County in 1974 when he was sentenced to die for beating a fellow inmate to death with a sock full of batteries in 1981.

Last month the state’s parole board voted 3-3 on Creech’s request to have his sentence changed to life without parole after one of is members recused himself from the case. Under state rules, a majority of the board must vote in favor of clemency for that recommendation to be sent to the governor.

But even that is no guarantee: The state also allows the governor to overrule clemency recommendations, and Gov. Brad Little said last week that he has “zero intention of taking any action that would halt or delay Creech’s execution.”

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“Thomas Creech is a convicted serial killer responsible for acts of extreme violence,” Little said in a statement, later continuing, “His lawful and just sentence must be carried out as ordered by the court. Justice has been delayed long enough.”

During his clemency hearing, Ada County deputy prosecutor Jill Longhurst characterized Creech as a sociopath with no regard for human life. She noted his long criminal record, which also includes murder convictions in Oregon and in California. Yet another murder indictment in Oregon was dropped by prosecutors because he had already been given four life sentences there.

At times, Creech has claimed to have killed several more.

“The facts underlying this case could not be more chilling,” then-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote in a 1993 opinion, upholding an Idaho law about when defendants can be sentenced to death. The ruling came after Creech appealed his sentence, arguing that the statute was unconstitutionally vague.

“Thomas Creech has admitted to killing or participating in the killing of at least 26 people,” O’Connor continued. “The bodies of 11 of his victims — who were shot, stabbed, beaten, or strangled to death — have been recovered in seven states.”

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Creech’s defense attorneys say that the number of killings tied to him is highly exaggerated and that Creech, 73, has changed during his decades behind bars.

Creech has had a positive influence on younger inmates and went 28 years without a single disciplinary offense before being written up once in 2022 for a “misunderstanding over a card game,” lawyer Jonah Horwitz with the Idaho Federal Defenders Office said during his clemency hearing.

Creech has drawn support in his commutation request from some seemingly unlikely sources, including a former prison nurse, a former prosecutor and the judge who sentenced him death.

Judge Robert Newhouse told a clemency board last year that no purpose would be served by executing Creech after 40 years on death row. Doing so now would just be an act of vengeance, he said in a petition.

In their federal appeal seeking a new clemency hearing, Creech’s defense attorneys say having one board member absent from the decision put their client at an unfair disadvantage. Normally an inmate would have to convince a simple majority to get a clemency recommendation, but with one person missing, that became two-thirds of the board, his attorneys noted.

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Either another board member should have stepped aside to avoid a tie vote or someone else should have been appointed to fill the seventh seat, they said.

Creech also has two appeals on other issues pending before the Idaho Supreme Court and has appealed another case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.



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Charges dropped against BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping baby at Costco – East Idaho News

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Charges dropped against BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping baby at Costco – East Idaho News


Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal describes a new video from Costco over the incident involving an alleged kidnapping prior to Thanksgiving. | Daniel V. Ramirez, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — Weeks after a BYU-Idaho student was accused of kidnapping a baby from Costco, the Bonneville County Prosecutor announced Thursday afternoon that charges will be dismissed.

During a news conference, Prosecutor Randy Neal showed three videos from inside Costco during the alleged incident on Nov. 24, which led to Michael Raine, 24, being charged with felony second-degree kidnapping.

According to court documents, Raine was looking at books inside the store and a cart with a baby was nearby.

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RELATED | BYU-Idaho student accused of kidnapping 4-week-old baby in Costco

The document states that Raine “looked around” and then grabbed the cart and walked away.

The issue for officials was what occurred once Raine rounded the corner with the cart and the baby.

Neal said the new video shows Raine walking away with the cart, and the baby’s mother finding him almost immediately. The prosecutor explained that when pursuing cases, a prosecutor reviews the evidence and determines whether, beyond a reasonable doubt, the action was a crime.

“For a prosecutor, the analysis is whether there is a rational basis for someone to conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they are to a moral certainty, that this is a crime? I don’t think that we can say that,” Neal said.

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Neal said the surveillance videos from Costco show that Raine had no intention of running away with that cart.

WATCH COSTCO SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HERE:

The other aspect is that Raine didn’t leave the store after the incident, which, according to the documents, indicates the student had purchased items and eaten at the food court.

Looking at the reasons for Raine’s arrest, Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson said at the time, there was only one single video, and based on what was seen, Raine’s actions were found to be suspicious.

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Another factor that influenced Raine’s arrest was his trip to the United States Marine Corps Recruiting station in Boise on Nov. 25.

“The detectives were consulting with the prosecutors and made the proper decision at that time in the interest of public safety, based on probable cause, to make that arrest,” Johnson said. “That just doesn’t end the case. There’s a requirement to keep on going.”

Johnson and Neal discussed how detectives met with the mother of the baby and went over the events in a cognitive interview. Neal said this type of interview is a narrative recount of the events by the victim, without any questions being asked.

“Often, the mind will just start filling in pieces in order to make it make sense to them,” Neal said.

Detectives worked on recreating the incident at Costco with the mother, but Neal said some of the mother’s version of events were inaccurate in terms of the cart placement and other minor details.

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Neal said Natalie Millett was told charges have been dropped.

Victim Impact Statement from Natalie Millett. | Courtesy Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney

In a statement to the media, Millett said the event has caused the emotional pain that words can’t describe and will impact her for life.

“I believe it was miraculous that I ran in the right direction and recovered my baby swiftly, but the outcome could have been so different had I not listened to my intuition and impressions that day,” Millett said.

After being informed that the charges against Raine would be dismissed, Millett stated that she does feel at peace because she has done everything in her power.

One of the major talking points of the conference and in Millett’s statement is the reaction and comments from social media that have attacked her and made egregious remarks about people involved.

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“To sit in your basement and write poison is just really disgusting. It’s just inappropriate,” Neal said.

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Drivers urged to exercise caution amid potential flooding in North Idaho

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Drivers urged to exercise caution amid potential flooding in North Idaho


The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is warning drivers in North Idaho to be vigilant as rising water levels from recent rainfall and runoff may lead to roadway flooding and washouts.

ITD crews are actively monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond as conditions change. Drivers are advised to exercise extra caution, particularly in lowland areas, where conditions can shift rapidly. ITD strongly recommends against driving through standing water, as it can be difficult to gauge its depth or identify hidden hazards. Water intake can also cause significant damage to vehicles. For updates on detours and road closures, drivers are encouraged to visit Idaho 511.



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Notre Dame pulls away from Idaho, wins 80-65 despite missing leading scorer Markus Burton

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Notre Dame pulls away from Idaho, wins 80-65 despite missing leading scorer Markus Burton


SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jalen Haralson scored 20 points, Carson Towt had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Notre Dame pulled away late to beat Idaho 80-65 despite playing without leading scorer Markus Burton on Wednesday night.

Burton, who leads the Fighting Irish at 18.5 ppg, was to have had surgery Wednesday on his left ankle after suffering an injury in Notre Dame’s previous game, an 87-85 overtime win over TCU. He is expected to be out “for the foreseeable future,” according to the school.

Haralson was 8-of-16 shooting and Towt was 9 of 12 in collecting his third double-double this season. Cole Certa had a trio of 3-pointers and 15 points and Braeden Shrewsberry made four 3s and scored 14. The Irish (8-3) shot 52% and made 9 of 14 from the arc in winning their third straight game and improving to 6-0 at home.

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Biko Johnson made three 3s and scored 19 points and Jackson Rasmussen added 16 points though the pair combined for only eight second-half points for Idaho (6-4). Brody Rowbury added 11 points. The Vandals shot 40% and made 10 of 24 3-pointers.

Tied 33-all at halftime, Notre Dame never trailed in the second half, going up 61-51 with nine minutes to go after Certa scored the first seven points in an 11-2 run. The Vandals got back within four with six minutes left on a Johnson 3-pointer but that was their final field goal. Shrewsberry and Certa hit 3-pointers in a game-ending 12-1 run.

Up next

Idaho is home against Evergreen State on Sunday.

Notre Dame is home against Evansville on Sunday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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